The main cause of death and disability in the US

    Stroke (中风) is the main cause of death and disability in the United States. Every 45 seconds, someone in America has a stroke. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} It is the nation's third leading cause of death, ranking behind diseases of the heart and all forms of cancer. The following is something more about stroke.

Definition and description of a stroke

    Stroke is a type of cardiovascular disease. It affects the arteries(动脉) leading to and within the brain. A stroke occurs when a blood vessel（血管） that carries oxygen and nutrients to the brain is either blocked by a clot or bursts. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} So stroke forms.

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    The American Stroke Association has identified several factors (因素) that increase the risk of stroke. The more risk factors a person has, the greater the chance that he or she will have a stroke. Some of these you can't control, such as increasing age, family health history, race, and previous stroke. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} Factors resulting from lifestyle or environment can be improved with a healthcare provider's help.

Breakthroughs in treatment

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#} In fact, about 600,000 people have strokes every year. For many years, there was no hope for those suffering a stroke. However, recent breakthroughs have led to new treatments. For the treatments to work, the person must get to a hospital immediately.

    Everyone has heard of Groundhog Day (土拨鼠日).{#blank#}1{#/blank#}.

    People in America think that the groundhog awakens from its winter's sleep on February 2^nd. The groundhog comes out of its hole. If the sun is shining, it will see its shadow. The shadow scares it. So it runs back into its hole. This means six more weeks of winter. If the day is cloudy, it will not see its shadow. Since it is not scared, it stays out of its hole.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}. These are the same things we say on Groundhog Day today.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#}They are known mainly to country people. City people just don't know how to look for them. City people think that a groundhog sitting by its hole may look like a root(根). It could also be seen as a clod (块) of earth. Or it may look like a broken fence-post(栅栏柱). But a farmer sees groundhogs anywhere he looks. They'll be watching like guards.

    The groundhog is a native American.{#blank#}4{#/blank#} It may also appear as far north as Alaska. It is hated by farmers. The groundhog eats a third of its weight in a day. What a big appetite(胃口)！It may eat about a half-ton of alfalfa(苜蓿) in a summer. So 10 groundhogs in a big field would eat five tons.

    Why do groundhogs eat so much? To prepare for winter.{#blank#}5{#/blank#} .This extra food is changed to fat. This fat is what they live on during their long winter's sleep.

A. It is an American holiday.

B. Groundhogs are strange animals.

C .This means that spring will soon come.

D. There are several ways to protect the groundhog.

E. In the fall, when there is a lot of food, they fill up.

F. It is found in most states east of the Rockies(落基山脉).

G. While it is not one of your major holidays, it is one that children love.

    Facing the Enemies Within

    We are not born with courage, but neither are we born with fear. Fears, even the most basic ones, can totally ruin our ambitions (雄心壮志). Fear can ruin fortunes. Fear can ruin relationships. Fear, if left unchecked, can ruin our lives. Fear is one of the many enemies living inside us.

    {#blank#}1{#/blank#}.

    The first enemy we face is indecision. Indecision is the thief of opportunity{#blank#}2{#/blank#}. Take a sword to this enemy.

    The second enemy inside is doubt.{#blank#}3{#/blank#} But you also can't let doubt take over. Many people doubt the past, doubt the future, doubt each other, doubt the government, doubt the possibilities and doubt the opportunities. Worse of all, they doubt themselves. I'm telling you, doubt will ruin your life and your chances of success. It will empty both your bank account and your heart.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    Do battle with the enemy. Do battle with your fears.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}. Be courageous in your life and in your pursuit of the things you want and the person you want to become.

A. Sure, there's room for healthy doubt. You can't believe everything.

B. Build your courage to fight what's holding you back, what's keeping you from your goals and dreams.

C. Let me tell you about two of the other enemies we face from within.

D. Below are the ways which might be useful for us to overcome our fears.

E. Doubt is an enemy. Go after it. Get rid of it.

F. It will steal your chances for a better future.

G. Some people doubt everything.

Writing A Letter To Your Future Self

    Just imagine writing a letter to your future self 5 years from now, then opening it at that exact moment to see how much of it has come true.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    As you read the letter in the future, you can assess how many things agree with your expectations in the past.{#blank#}2{#/blank#} Often times, the goals we set and our goal achievement process are affected by a lot of changes along the way. The letter lets you recognize how your current idea differs from the past.

    In addition to that, at the very moment you are writing the letter, your thoughts are stored right there in those words. When you open the letter in the future, you as your future self gets to compare how you used to be in the past with how you are now.{#blank#}3{#/blank#} It's very interesting to do so.

    Take out a pen and paper right now and start writing your letter to your future self. Set a time period to write to. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} Then start writing. Think about the type of person you will be, your place in life, what you will have realized then, and so on.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#} Put it in a safe space where no one can find it. When you open this sometime in the near future, you might gain additional insights(了解) about yourself and your journey in the past few years.

A. And you can think about why that's the case.

B. It is a useful tool to be used in goal achievement.

C. Imagine how you will be like during that time period.

D. If you haven't, join me in writing a letter to yourself.

E. This lets you see how much things have changed since then.

F. At the end of the letter, write the date to open it on the cover.

G. It wasn't until we moved into our new house that I found it again.

                                       How to Do Man-on-the-Street Interviews

    The man-on-the-street interview is an interview in which a reporter hits the streets with a cameraman to interview people on the sport.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}. But with these tips, your first man-on-the-street interview experience can be easy.

    When your boss or professor sends you out to do man-on-the-street interviews for a story, think about the topic and develop a list of about ten general questions relating to it. For example, if your topic is about environmental problems in America, you might ask, “Why do you think environmental protection is important in America?{#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    Hit the streets with confidence.{#blank#}3{#/blank#} Say, “Excuse me, I work for XYZ News, and I was wondering if you could share your opinion about this topic.” This is a quick way to get people to warm up to you.

    Move on to the next person if someone tells you she is not intereste

Don't get discouraged.

    ●{#blank#}4{#/blank#}Each interview that you get on the street shouldn't be longer than ten minutes. As soon as you get the answer you need, move on to the next person. Make sure that as you go from interview to interview, you are getting a variety of answers. If everyone is giving you the same answer, you won't be able to use it. A safe number of interviews to conduct is about six to ten.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}

    ● If your news station or school requires interviewees to sign release forms to appear on the air, don't leave work without them.

A. Limit your time.

B. As you approach people, be polite.

C. If you don't own a camera, you can buy one.

D. For new reporters, this can seem like a challenging task.

E. To get good and useful results, ask them the same question.

F. That number of interviews should give you all the answers you need.

G. With a question like this, you will get more than a “Yes” or “No” reply.

How to Keep a Healthy and Strong Relationship

    Are you new to experiencing relationships? Well, let me give you advice on having a healthy and possibly long-term relationship.

    {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Do not hide things from them and do not lie. Don't be afraid to say things that aren't very flattering about yourself. Getting them to trust you is the most important element in any relationship. If there's no trust, there's nothing there. So please be honest and they'll learn to open up to you.

    Make sure you give them respect. Now respect isn't just simply treating her or him nicely. There's a lot more about it. You have to learn to adjust to their liking. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Don't just think about yourself; think about what your partner needs as well.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#} Always be willing to help them and give them honesty and positivity at the same time. Make them feel you are someone they can really count on and build a future with. This is an important step in a relationship. Your partner has to be able to count on you when needed.

    Make sure you have a good sense of humor with them. Laughter is the key to happiness. Laugh a lot with them and joke with them. Laughter may seem silly, but it's the secret to a lot in life. It will keep the sparks alive. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    Make sure the communication is good. This goes along with trust, but always communicate how you feel, even if it's something that upsets you. Instead of screaming, talk to them. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} It's important to communicate with them. Don't keep it bottled up.